


Bleeding Love

by LadyGerbilLuna



Series: Avengers: The Sounds of Life [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Slow Dancing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 06:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10354299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyGerbilLuna/pseuds/LadyGerbilLuna
Summary: Steve decides it's time to publicly announce their relationship...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis
> 
> ~~Indicates lyrics

~~ Closed off from love  
I didn't need the pain...~~

The picture seemed innocent. Steve leaned close to whisper something to Tony, his hand on the lower back. Someone posted it, and the internet exploded. Nobody had confirmed their relationship yet. 

He knew that Tony was having a panic attack, because FRIDAY told him. She also told him that currently, she had it under control, and would immediately contact him if needed. 

~~ And everyone's looking round  
Thinking I'm going crazy~~

Steve sat back in his chair, a frown on his face, even as he continued to read. To be fair, not all the comments were negative. In fact, quite a few people seemed to approve of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers in a relationship. 

But Steve knew Tony, and knew that what hurt the most were the negative comments. He brushed off things to the public, but inside...

Tony hurt, because every bit of negativity added to one big ball of pain, that seemed to become truth in his mind. As much as Steve tried to destroy that pain, he couldn't ever quite get it into Tony's head how much good he brought not just to the team, but to everyone. 

Steve needed help. He drummed his fingers onto the table for a minute, staring at the picture. With a sigh, he picked up the phone. 

~~But I don't care what they say~~

Pepper sat behind her desk, her fingers steepled together, staring at him. Rhodey sat beside him.

“You realize he'll fight you,” Pepper said, after a decent pause to cause him to squirm. 

“Of course,” replied Steve. “He always fights. That's just who he is. But even if I have to remind him every day, I want to try and get him to understand I love him.”

His cheeks burned. Her he was, sitting in front of Tony's former lover and his best friend, admitting his love, and he felt like a small child in the principals office. 

“You think this idea will work?” Rhodey asked.

“Not forever. Eventually, he'll get into another slump. But the world is already speculating, and we have to confirm it eventually. I'm not going to keep it hidden like some sort of dirty secret now that the rumors are exploding.”

“You want our blessing, Captain?” asked Pepper, she sat back, one eyebrow raised. 

“Not just your blessing.” Steve sighed. “I know that if we confirm our relationship, it will affect SI. So I need your blessing not just as his family, but also from the company. I want to try and keep his panic to a minimum.”

“The Avengers are his family, too,” Pepper said, smiling.

“Yes, and he needs his family there.”

“I'll be there,” said Rhodey.

“And don't worry about the media,” replied Pepper. “It'll be taken care of. I'll be there, too.”

~~They try to pull me away~~

It began as a night for the Avengers, plus Rhodey and Pepper. Steve made sure to wear a nice tux in dark gray, a blue shirt underneath, and no tie. They began with a nice Italian dinner with lots of food, and a lot of wine. 

Then, they moved to dancing. Not the most popular one, but somewhere in-between. 

Steve didn't make his move immediately. They laughed as Clint danced with an awkward Bruce, who then danced with Bucky, Natasha then dancing with Bucky....

He couldn't keep up with their antics, but laughed with them. His eyes met Pepper's, and she nodded. Rhodey got up and wandered over to the DJ. 

“Dance with me,” Steve said to Tony.

Tony laughed, thinking it was just a game like before, and he waved his hand in a dismissing motion. Steve stood up, and held his hand out. Tony's eyes grew wide as the flashes began. 

“Dance with me,” he repeated. 

“Dance with him,” said Pepper, softly, squeezing Tony's arm. Tony looked at her, then back. Steve didn't lower his hand. He could wait. 

Hesitantly, Tony took Steve's hand and stood. 

Steve ignored the many pictures being taken, focused on his partner. The dance floor emptied, and Rhodey gave a thumbs up as the first notes rang through the air. 

Still wide-eyed, Tony hesitantly moved close.

“So much trouble,” Steve heard muttered, swaying to the song, the flashes a near constant now.

“Stop,” he said. “It's just you and me, Tony,” he whispered in his ear. “Look at me.”

They focused on each other, even as a few of the other Avengers paired up, and joined them on the floor. It didn't matter to Steve, his focus on the man in his arms. 

They shifted closer, and Steve leaned down, pressing his lips gently to his Tony's, feeling the man tense for just a moment, before relaxing. Tony's eyes were shining more, tears filling, but not falling, and he trembled just a little. Steve whispered in his ears the words of the song. 

“You sap,” whispered Tony. Their lips met again, and this time they didn't part for quite a while, even as the pictures continued, even when the song switched to another slow one. They danced, surrounded by their family.

~~I'm in love with you.~~

**Author's Note:**

> Maker's Breath.... talk about tooth rotting, diabetic coma inducing fluff...


End file.
